Joseph watts



@uiten tatss ilatrut @frn Letters Patent No. 76,010, dated March 24, '1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HEATING-FURNACES.

@the Stimuli nient in iu this? fittcts tttnt mit mating glitt .nf tige stmt.

Beit known thatv I, JOSEPH WATTS, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, solicitors clerk, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Furnaces and Fireplaces, and in utilizing the waste heat of Athe said furnaces and fireplaces, and in utilizing and obtaining motive power from the air supplied to furnaces and replaces; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which- FigureI 1 represents a vertical section ofoneform of furnace, in which a directdownward draught is employed.

Figure 2, a vertical section of another furnace combined with a vertical'steam-boiler.v

Figure 3,.a horizontal section of the same.v

Figure 4,',a vertical section of another furnace for heating a horizontal steam-boiler.

Figure 5, a vertical section of a fireplace of stove or grate for domestic purposes.

Figure 6, la vertical section of another fireplace or stove for domestic use; and

Figure 7, a vertical section o-f'another arrangement of fireplace or stove.

All of which are constructed according to my invention.

The object of the first part of my said invention is to produce perfect combustion of fuel and its consequent economization. -This is effected bylintroduoing-the gases or air for combustion in the same direction as the fuel used, and causing the same to pass downward, instead of upward, as is usual, through such fuel, and thence, between the grate or fire-bars upon which the said fuelrests', into the outer atmosphere at a-point suiciently elevated to produce the required amount of draught.

I prefer to construct the furnace in the following manner: I makethe said furnace of a receptacle or chamber, to which I prefer to give the figure of a vertical pyramid. rlhe re or grate-bars are fixed in the pyramidal chamber, and are placed, by preference, at an angle of about forty-tive degrees in orderv to facilitate the removal of the ashes through the said fire-bars by means of the weight ofthe superincumbent fuel. That pbrtion ofthe chamber underneaththe grate or fire-bars has an opening-provided with a closely-tting door or vslide for closing it, which opening communicates directly with thc lues of a steam-boiler, or with a series of flues, pipes, er chambers, which 'it is intended to heat, and which may be connected with melting-kilns or other` wise applied to heating purposes. The heated air and products of `combustion from the furnace, after traversing the said fines, pipes, or chambers, p'ass'to a chimney. I introducethefuel to the pyramidal` chamber at or near the top or nari-cwestlpartthereof,1 which is then closed up air-tight by a door or otherwise, and the atmospheric air necessary"for-combustion, either hot or cold, is'introduced into the chamber ata point sui'dcientlyhigh above the grate-bars t allow ofthe formation of a continuous stratum ofcarbonized fuel suicient in quantity to burn all the volatile products of the fuel in process of carbonization; v

The atmospheric air supplied to the furnace may be heated by being passed between or around the series of ilues, pipes, or chambers through which the products of combustion fromthe furnace pass. The said heated air, prior to,its introduction into the furnace, may be used for drying, evaporating, and ventilatig. -When the4 air supplied to the furnaceris not heated, it may be made' to pass over liquids for the purpose of cooling them, or be otherwise applied for cooling purposes, such as the c coling and drying of malt and cooling worte.

By the arrangements described, the maximum amount of heat is obtained from the said fuel, and the said fuel-consequently ecouomized.

This part of my invention may be applied to existing furnaces and fireplaces of the ordinary kind in the following manner; that'is to say, I close the outlet above the grate tio-the chimney by a slide or valve, which may be opened or closed at pleasure, and I make another outlet or communication with the chimney at any con venient place underneath the grate-bars, which last-mentioned outlet I also provide witha slide or valve so constructed as to allow of the draughtofthe chimney being regulated at pleasure. By these means'the. current of atmospheric air will be directed through the fuelidownward, and similar combustion will consequently take place to that mentioned in the furnace herein frst described'. By means of the two slides regulating the openings into the chimney, either method of eifecting combustion may be used at pleasure.

For the purpose of-obtaining motive-power from the atmospheric air supplied to furnaces, I place a fau or fans in a pipe or passa-gc, through which the whole of the atmospheric air required for combustion is made to pass, which. said air, as it passes, impinges upon theranes of the'said vfan or fans, and gives motion thereto, which motion may be transmitted from the axesof the said fans, by 'a train' of wheels or other gearing to the machine or apparatus which it is wished to actuate. The quantity ot' air' passing through the pipe or passage described'm-ay'be regulated by a slide or throttle-valve.

Havingv explained the nature of my invention, I will proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the manner in which the', same is to be performed. In iig.4 1, a is the pyramidal chamber, containing the fuel, the saidchamber being closed air-tight by the lid or cover b after the fuel has been introduced. The ,said lid or cover dips into aigroove or trough, c, containing4 sand, situated around the top ol` thc chamber a. At the base ofthe chamber a,and in the axis' thereof, isa conical hollow bed, UZ, constructed ot' re-clay'or other suitable material, uponl which bed the superincumbcnt fuel is supported. 'Ihis bod is carried by supports or arches, e, resting on the extreme base ot` the chamber a, At the open sides of the lower part of the chamber d are circulariirc or grate-bars,f, having in'cross-scction an angle not less acute than that represented, and outside the said fire or gratc-bars is' an annular chamber, g, to which chamber air or gas for` supporting the' combustion of the fuel between the bed cl and tire-barsfis supplied by the passage or ue it, which flue, h, is provided at any convenient part with a valve or damper connected with v-a piston loaded with, any required weight, and working` in a cylinder connected with, the boiler or chamber the furnaceor'tireplace is designed to heat, by means of a closed vessel containing water placed therein, by which means the expansion of the steam or water in such boiler orvessel'is made to actuate the said pistonandweights, and lift the said. valve or damper, and thus regulate the admission of air to the furnace or fireplace-and thereby prevent any unnecessary consumption of fuel in the furnace or fireplace. In the axisol' the furnace, and below the bed is a liuc or channel, z', into which the heated air and products of' combustion from the fuel in the lower part of the chamber a pass. The due or channel t' communicates with the lues or steam-boiler, or with other dues, pipes, or chambers, which it is intended to heat, and which may be connected with maltingllrilns orotherwise applied to heating'purposes. The heated air and products of combustion, after traversing the ilues of the boiler orother dues or chambers, pass to a chimney of a-suitable elevation. k is theashpfpit closed air-tight by the doors`Z. f

By an examination of iig'. 1, itvwill be seen that the :tirer-gaseous matter suppliedby the pipe orA channel h en'ters the external chamber "q, and passes between the fire-barsfinto the fucl'situated betweenl the saidbars and bed d, descending through'the incandescent fucl'ipto the ilue t', as indicated by the -arrowsf Byfthe arrangement described, acontinual supply of fresh air is introduced into ,the lirepluce, and very perfect combustion ofthe fuel obtained. As the combustion proceeds, the fuel in process of exliaustion-gra'dxi. ally travels down the inclined sides of the bed d, its place being taken by a fresh quantity of the superineumbent fuel, the ashes and refuse matters falling into the ash-pit Ic. Y

In figs. 2 and 3, t is the fuelfchamber, closed air-tight by the lid or cover a2, and 6 b are the circular grate' or fire-bars at the base of the fuel-chamber, the said grate or tire-bars boing arranged in the form of a hollow cone. c is the ashpit, closed air-tight by doors, as in iig. 1. Air or gas for the combustion ot' the fuel resting on the fire-bars (1 b passes by the horizontal and vertical pipes or passages d e into the middle of the fireplace, and below the lire-bars Z (L fis the boiler, situated around the central fuel-chamber a, in which boiler a series of vertical pipes or lues, gg, and an annular flue, h, are inude,'the ilues y and h communicating with each other lat top by the horizontal iiuc z'. The annular flue z opens into the outlet-'channel c. ""Theair for combustion being introduced into thc centre of the fireplace, passes between the {ire-bars and through the fuel supported upon them, as indicated by the arrows, a downward draught passing through the stratum of fuel between-the upper grate-bars and sides of the chamber a, and an upward draught through the fuel'situated between the lower grate-bars and sides Z of the iireplace. `By this means all the volatile portions offthe fuel, which in the usual upward draught escape as smoke are consumed in its downward passage with the ldownward draught before described, and beforeit reaches the bottom of the fireplace, whe-re its combustion is assisted and completed by.

the upward draught before described,l the ashes and refuse matters falling into -the ash-pit c.

The heated air and products of combustion pass from the {ireplace inte -the dues g h ofthe steam-boilerf, vthrough which theycirculate and` heat the water in tlie said boiler, and finally escape by the horizontal flue.or passage lr, to be utilized, as hereinbetore explained. The openingr al2r in the pipe oZ,'by which air is admitted lto the fireplace of the furnace, may be closed by a ,valve or closing-plate, 1*, fixed to the* rod fm, ,the annular rim of the opening Z2 entering a trough or groove, F, filled with lsand lin lthe said valve or plate li. An air-tight joint is thus made.

Inorder to regulate the admission of air to the fireplace, and the consequent combustion and economization of the fuel, I connect therod m of the plate Zwith apiston, n, working in the cylinder o, 4opening Aby thepipe pinto the interior of the steam-boiler The rod m is loaded by the weights qto the pressure at which it is wished to work the boiler, When the pressure of the steam -in the boiler is `suiicient to raise the weighted pistou n, the latter moves in its cylinder, and thereby raises the valve Z4 and cuts'oli the`supply of air to the fireplace. When a. Nery slowcombusticn is required, the passage cZ2 may be temporarily closed by raising the i valve l, by means of ascrew-boit, r, working on the screwed ends of the rod m, and asmall quantity of air allowed to enter the replace by the pipe s', which pipe lmay be furnished withi a stop-cock. By this means the trouble of relighting the r of the furnace is obviated. lPortions ofthe side of the lireplace lare capable of being opened and reclos'ed for facilitating the 'removal of any obstruction which may be formed'upon. the hre-bars. l

In tig. 4, a is the fuel-chamber, and I) bthe iclinedire-bars; c .is the ash-pit, and d the horizontal boiler. A pipe or Hue, e, opening into' the ash-pit and provided with van air-tight valve, as hereinbefore described, snp- .'plies air to the fireplace, the saidair passing between the ire-barsand-through the fuel in a manner similar to that described with respect to the furnace, g. 2. The course of'v the' air and products of combustion is indicated by the arrows. In' obtaining motive-power from the air supplied to furnaces, I place the fan or fans hcreinbefore Areferred to in the lues or passages UL, UZ, and e, figs. l, 2, and 4f, which air on its way, to the fireplaces, impingcs upon the vanes of the fan o r fans and gives motion thereto, which motion may be transmitted' by any convenient gearing to themachine or apparatus to be actuated.

In fig. 5, t are the iii'e-bars, b the fuel-chamber, and c the ash-pan'. The u pper 4part o f the fireplace is closed by a hood' or cover, e, the said covered part constituting the fuelhamberl Fuel is introduced at the doorf. g is a throttle-valve, by which the draughtthrough the flue L may be regulated. rlhe course of the air is indicated by arrows. is a slide, furnished with a set-screw, running in a groove between the tire and firebars a, for the double purpose of regulating the amount of fire exposed to view, 'and for shutting off the draught whilst fresh fuel is added through the doorf to prevent an upward draught. The hot air and products of c0lnbustion pass from the fire by the ilue t to the chimney. The heating of the foot or base of the fireplace causes a large amount of heat to be radiated into the room.

Inrig, 6, a are the ring-like tireburs; b, the back of the grate; e, the fuel-chamber; d, the base or -foot of the grate; 1e, the central flue; g is the slide to regulate the {ire-surface and prevent upward draught whilesupplying fresh fuel to the chamber c. The said slide works upon the giooved upright bars 7L, and is fixed by"v the set-screws 2' working in the said bars. The depressed position of the slide gfis indicated by dotted lines. Air entering between the bars a, supports the combustion of the fuel, and the hea-ted air and products of combustion, descending through thefoot d, pass by the central flue e to the chimney, as indicated by the arrows. fis a throttle-valve, by which tho draught may be regulated. The foot d is provided with `a door or doors for the removal o'f the ashes from it.

Fig. 7. In this arrangement the air enters -by the central ue a, andis regulated by atight-fitting slide, y, and, passing between the conical set of {ire-bars 6, supports the combustionot' the fuel between the said bars b and the outer 'bars c. 71. is the slide for regulating the fire-surface, and preventing upward draught, the said-` slide L being similar to that represented in connection with the fireplace or stove, (lig. 6.) The heated air and products of combustion pass between the casing cl and fuel-chamber e, and escape by the pipefintoy the chimney. Besides the heat radiated from the fire in the grate, the casing cZ becomes strongly heated, and radiates alarge amount of heat into the room. The course of the air vand products of combustion is indicated by the' arrows. v Y

Having now described the nature of my invention7 and the manner in which the same is'to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described'and illustrated, ,as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention; but

I claim as my inventiont 5 Y 1, Arranging the gratebars orfire-bars in such-a-manneras to deflect the draught, or a portion thereof,` in a downward direction, 'or in the direction in which the fuel is introduced, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The grate-barsfb, bent ,in A-shapepsubstantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination withthe grate-barsf, a conical hollow bed, Land the -ue z', below 'the grate and bed, forming a downward and outward passage for the beat-ed air and products of combustion, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4.3 A grate formed of consecutive rings of A-shaped grate-bars, arranged above each other in'any suitable b t t' ll as and for the ur ose set forth. manner, su s an ia y p p JOS. WATTS.

Witnesses ELIHU BURRITT, J. Banus. 

